Dalla marginalità verso l'empowerment: le famiglie di Bolognaland

The paper describes a Participatory Action Research that involved 6 immigrant exhomeless families. Photovoice was used to promote their social inclusion and increase participants’ empowerment. The participatory process allowed families to shift from marginalization to active citizenship, to develop a critical consciousness about homelessness and their "normal" needs. The paper points out some critical elements identified when working with marginalized people who have learned to be passive trough the interaction with the welfare system, such as the need to use research instruments in a flexible way and accommodate to unexpected participatory modes.